Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1887-05-06
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- l6t Sf INC MI Browi IseAs a
as IN S(0euuitp Sesa1Il. Il

- ~ 81 tase MI Bro - Hear Az q
s.S 1n uito SEASON. Il s.
afr wind one q ay made mo think
sst Sssible to take 8 hunt inland. btlt
~ disgust il died had
SslSsroc eded two % three miles, and "a
fight back 10 camp II the l n i. aitoes
n shall always RENE n,bar AZ one lof tho
salient points 81 my life. lt'seemed as i
II ii there was an upward rain Of insects
from the grass that became 4 delage I
over lnarshy tracts and more than
half the ground was marsily. OF course
not a sign Of any game was seen, ex-
cept a few old tracks; and the tracks Of
an animal are about the only part OF it
that could exist here IN the mosquito
season, which lasts from the time the
snow is half off the ground until the
: first severe frost, a period OF some
three or four months. During that
time every living Creature that can
leave the valleys ascends the moui,-
tains, closely following the snow line,
and even there peace is not completely
attained, the exposure 70 the winds
being of FAR more benefit than the cool
ness due to the altitude, while the mos
quitoes are left undisputed masters OF
the valleys, except for q few struggling
animals on their way from one range
of mountains to the other. b. a.
Had there been any game, and had l
obtained fair shot, T honestly doubt
II | could have secured it, owing to
these pests: not altogether on account
= OF. their ravenous attacks upon my face.
and especially the eyes, but for the rea-'
son that they were SO absolutely dense
that it was impossible to see clearly
through the mass in taking aim. When
/ got to camp I was thoroughly exhaust
ed with my incessant fight, and seom-
pletely out Of breath, which ] chad to
regain as best could in a sitting
=. smoke from dry, resinous1 pine knots.
"A traveller who had spent atsummer ON
the lower Yukon, whereof did not find
the pests so bad on my. journey as on
the upper river, was of Che opinion
that a nervous person without a mask
would soon be killed by nervous pros
ltration. unless he were to take refuge
i'm midstream. / know that the native
dogs are killed by the mosquitoes un-
dor certain circumstances, and leheard
reports which / believe to be well
founded, both from Indians and trust
worthy white persons, that the great
brown be9-erroneously. :, but 9om-
monty called the krizzly--of these re-
igions is at times compelled to snccumh
to these insects: The statement seems
neutrality-suspicious., but the explains
,tien rs comparatively simple: Bruin,
having exhausted all the roots and ber'
.ries Of one mountain, or, tindin g them
scarce, thinks he will cross the valley
Ito another range, or perhaps it is thu
'.odor of salmon washed up along the
rivers banks that attracts him. Gov
cred with a heavy fur on his body, his
eyes, nose and ears are the vulnera bic
points for mosquitoes, and here O.
course they congregate in the Creates
numbers. At last, when he reaches {
swampy stretch, they rise in myriads
until his forepaw is kept so busy, a!
he strives to keep his eyes clear o
them, that he can not walk, whereHpol
he becomes enraged, and, bear-fike
raises upon his launches to fight l
is now a mere question OF time unit
the bears eyes become so swollen from
innumerable bites IS to render hin
perfectly blind, when he wanders help
1essly about until he gets mired in tn
mud and starves odeath.-FronaL Lieut.
,Schaoatka's "Alaska.:"